# Deploy a Docker Image If you already have a Docker image built and pushed to a registry, Hydron can deploy it directly without analyzing source code. ## When to use Docker deployment Docker image deployment is ideal when you: - Already have a CI/CD pipeline that builds Docker images - Want to deploy a pre-built image from Docker Hub or a private registry - Are deploying a third-party application (databases, monitoring tools, etc.) - Have complex build processes handled outside of Hydron ## Connecting a Docker image 1. In a new chat, select **Existing Image** from the deployment options 2. Enter the image name and tag, along with any registry credentials  ## Supported registries Hydron can pull images from any Docker-compatible registry: | Registry | Example image reference | |----------|----------------------| | **Docker Hub** | `myuser/myapp:v1.0` | | **GitHub Container Registry** | `ghcr.io/org/myapp:latest` | | **GitLab Container Registry** | `registry.gitlab.com/org/myapp:latest` | | **AWS ECR** | `123456789.dkr.ecr.region.amazonaws.com/myapp:v1` | | **Google Artifact Registry** | `region-docker.pkg.dev/project/repo/myapp:v1` | | **Self-hosted** | `registry.example.com/myapp:latest` | For private registries, provide your authentication credentials when prompted. Credentials are encrypted and stored securely. ## How it works When deploying a Docker image, the process is simpler than a Git deployment since the build step is skipped. The AI plans your infrastructure, provisions the server, and pulls and deploys the container. The AI will ask you about: - **Port mappings** — Which ports does your container expose? - **Environment variables** — What configuration does the container need? - **Volumes** — Does the container need persistent storage? - **Resource requirements** — How much CPU and RAM does it need? - **Health checks** — How to verify the container is healthy? ## Environment variables You can provide environment variables when configuring the Docker deployment. These are injected into the container at runtime: Sensitive values are encrypted at rest and never exposed in logs. ## After deployment Once your Docker container is deployed, you can: - View running containers and their status - Access real-time logs - Restart or redeploy with a different image tag - Update environment variables - Scale resources ## Updating the image To deploy a new version of your image: 1. Push the updated image to your registry 2. In the project chat, ask: "Redeploy with the latest image" 3. Or specify a tag: "Deploy myapp:v2.0" Hydron pulls the new image and performs a rolling update with zero downtime when possible.